Check out part 1 of 2 of our exclusive interview with the creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto!

Masashi Kishimoto Sensei is the creator of the international best-selling manga series Naruto. Even though he’s quite busy creating masterpieces each week for Weekly SHONEN JUMP, he’s still a movie fanatic and a devoted father. When creating original work, artists and their creations usually have an interesting relationship, and in Kishimoto’s case, this especially holds true. (Read on to find out what we mean!) In our exclusive sit-down interview with this legendary manga creator, SJ Alpha finds out the inner workings behind his thought process and how he creates a story that captivates audiences from all over the world.

Q: When was the first time that you thought of becoming a mangaka (manga creator), and why?

Masashi Kishimoto: At some point between second and fourth grade I got into Akira Toriyama Sensei’s Dr. Slump anime and Dragon Ball manga. I loved his characters. I was especially attached to Dr. Slump’s Arale and Dragon Ball’s Goku. Also, his art really appealed to me. There was something about his cartoony drawing style that felt right, more so than realistic drawings. I thought to myself, I want to become like Toriyama Sensei.

To read the rest of this interview in this week's SJ Alpha (January 30th issue)! For more members-only exclusives, become an SJ Alpha member today!